Along the Way
by coffeeaddict42
Summary: With the help of a recovered but bitter Jet, who was in a secret Earth Kingdom prison run by Azula for most of the war after the Fall of Ba Sing Se, plus Jin and June, Zuko sets out to find his mother on this journey of forgiveness and brotherhood.
1. To Find Ursa

To Find Ursa

Zuko took a deep breath and opened the door to his father's prison cell. The once clean-cut, blazingly confident man now resembled a poor beggar. He lay in the corner of his cell and his hair was greasy. Zuko recoiled at the pungent odor, and Ozai barely glanced toward his son.

"I should count myself lucky," he grumbled. "The new Firelord has graced me with his presence in my lonely prison cell."

"You should count yourself lucky that the Avatar spared your life."

Ozai sniffed.

"Banishing me was the best thing you could've done for my life. It put me on the right path," Zuko told him. "Perhaps your time in here could do the same for you."

Ozai's eyes narrowed. "Why are you really here?"

"Because you're going to tell me something." Zuko leaned down and said forcefully, _"Where is my mother?"_

His father frowned slightly. "Why don't you ask your sister?"

Zuko's eyes widened. "Azula knew?"

Ozai looked away and nodded. Zuko's fist clenched. "She's gone." Ozai's eyes widened for a second.

"Is she?"

"Dead," Zuko's voice was flat.

"Pity. You'll never know."

Zuko's eyes flared and he yelled, "Where is she?"

Ozai grimaced. "Why should I tell you? What's in it for—" Zuko cut him off angrily,

"You're in no position to bargain. You're my prisoner." He stared into the twin abysses of his father's eyes and took a deep breath. "Now tell me what Azula knows."

His father rolled his eyes and then glared at Zuko. "That boy you befriended in Ba Sing Se," he began.

"Jet? You knew about—"

"Azula knew, of course. She found out when she was leading the Dai Li—with Longfang's connection to Jet's brainwashing at Lake Laogai."

"Lake Laogai," Zuko murmured, recalling the day he set Appa free and abandoned his persona of the Blue Spirit. "But Jet's dead."

"Not quite," Ozai mumbled. "He's in a prison in the Earth Kingdom."

"He can't be in there still."

"Azula saw to it that he would be kept there, secretly, so that he couldn't help the Avatar fight us, so I assume he's still there. Now, please, let me rot in peace," he groaned.

"What does Jet have to do with my mother?"

His father coughed. "He stole something of hers."

Zuko frowned. "What was it?"

Ozai shrugged.

"How—"

"It was from our house on Ember Island."

Zuko nodded thoughtfully, and made his way towards the door, then spun back around on his heel. "How can I find the prison?"

Ozai heaved another sigh and closed his eyes. "I'm not sure."


	2. An Old Friend

Before you read this chapter, you may want to read another fanfiction of mine ("If I Could Have You Back") because it gives some information having to do with this chapter's storyline. In "If I Could Have You Back", Jin returns to the Fire Nation shortly after peace has been returned to the four nations. She and Zuko talk, share a kiss. Jin tells him that she knows about Mai, and then she leaves.

An Old Friend

_Zuko walked down the path in the forest. The smell of ash filled his nostrils, soothing him during his quiet vigil. Finally he spots the source of the pleasant aroma: a crackling fire at the edge of a cliff. There's a figure sitting in front of the fire, its arms outstretched towards its warmth, its security. Zuko found himself drawn to the familiar scent, the feeling of protection and comfort it promised. As he approached the figure, he noticed that it wore a crimson cloak, reminiscent of his own; Zuko looked down at his chest, partially exposed beneath the thin fabric, and stopped slowly in his tracks, realizing that somehow, he and the person near the fire were connected. _

_The figure's head turned slightly in Zuko's direction as a twig snapped beneath Zuko's bare foot. Zuko felt warm blood trickle from the spot where the twig's sharp edge dug into the sole of his foot and winced at the pain. _

"_Hurt?" an unrecognizable voice, coming from the figure's direction, asked. _

_Zuko ignored the question and demanded, "Who are you?" His own voice sounded raspy and strange in the cold night air. _

_He watched as the figure stood up and doused the fire with a vase of water. Now only the soft light of the moon allowed Zuko to look at its face, but the features were indistinct and blurred. Suddenly the figure's pace quickened, until they shoved Zuko to the ground furiously. _

"_Who are you?" Zuko repeated. _

But suddenly the cold, dark forest disappeared, revealing his bedroom. The forest, the figure, and the twig that had pierced his foot, have all vanished.

"Get up, sleepy head!" Aang's voice ringed in Zuko's ears, causing him to put a pillow over his head to drown out the noise.

"Are you okay?" Katara's voice sounded muffled.

"Fine," Zuko moaned.

"Maybe we should just leave him alone, Aang," Katara whispered.

"I'll be out for breakfast in a few minutes," Zuko found himself saying, regretful to fall back asleep and find out the ending of the nightmare.

"We're going to The Jasmine Dragon. We're going to fly there on Appa," Aang explained, slightly lifting the pillow off of Zuko's head and peering through to see Zuko's eyes. "You don't look so good…"

"I'll be there soon."

"Okay…" Aang replied slowly, and Zuko listened as the door slammed shut behind them. He stood up and stretched his arms out, and then heard a small knock on his door, which swung it open to reveal a bored-looking Mai and an energetic Ty Lee, who was donned in her Kyoshi warrior uniform.

"Ty Lee," Zuko sighed, looking just as excited as Mai was to see their friend.

"The Kyoshi warriors are in town," she grumbled.

"Oh my gosh, it's _so_ good to see you, Zuko!" Ty Lee exclaimed, suffocating Zuko in a tight, long hug. Mai grimaced at them, and Zuko gave her a quizzical look. "You have no idea how much I've missed you guys! Especially you, Zuko," she added quietly in his ear. She proceeded to give him a big kiss on the cheek, making Zuko blush slightly.

"Ty Lee," Mai said, sounding annoyed. "I think I heard someone call your name."

Ty Lee looked at Mai, then back at Zuko, and turned towards the door. "I didn't hear anything."

"Why don't you just go check? And make sure everyone's ready to fly over to Ba Sing Se."

"Okay…" Ty Lee walked out of the door, reluctant to leave Zuko's side. He blinked after her a few times and shrugged.

"You know, you didn't have to do that."

"You _wanted_ her around?" Mai snapped, closing the door to Zuko's room. He paused slightly, staring at the crimson cloak—the same one from his nightmare—and then slipped it on. "She doesn't bother you?"

"She does. Trust me," he chuckled, "but you two are best friends."

"Yeah, well you don't see me going around and flirting with all the guys that she's involved with."

"She wasn't flirting with me."

"Please," Mai rolled her eyes.

"She's never shown interest in me before."

"She has. You just act like it's nothing."

"It _is_ nothing. It's not like anything would ever happen."

"Whatever," Mai groaned, and Zuko decided to drop the subject and started to fill a bag for his journey.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going on a trip," he answered. She shook her head.

"A trip? Where?"

"The Earth Kingdom."

"You wouldn't need all of that for one day in Ba Sing Se," she ventured, but he didn't respond. "_Zuko_," she said, grabbing his arm to make him look up at her. "Tell me what's going on."

"I'm going to find my mother."

"That's great," she smiled slightly, taking his hand in hers. He pulled away and continued filling his bag up with necessities. "You're not going alone?"

"Why wouldn't I go alone?"

"I'll go with you," Mai offered.

"To get out of hanging out with your best friend?" Zuko frowned. "Not a chance."

"It's not just for that—though that is a plus."

"It could be dangerous. I don't know what I'm going to find… where I'm going to find her… I have to do this by myself."

"I can fight, you know," she murmured, running a finger across one of Zuko's twin swords. He grabbed them, stuffed them in their sheath, and then put them on his belt.

"Forget it. I'm not letting you get involved."

"Then take Sokka, or Aang."

"I can't—"

Mai put her arms around Zuko's neck from behind and sighed. "Fine."

"Fine?" Zuko asked, seeming surprised.

"You need this," she shrugged. "I get that."

"That's it?"

"What do you want me to say?" Mai frowned.

"I don't know—I thought you'd be more…"

"What? Upset?"

Zuko made a face. "Concerned."

"Why? You're going to do whatever you want, regardless of what I say."

He raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"I don't know. It shouldn't be like that. We should be able to talk about stuff."

She kissed him lightly and took a step back, dragging him with her towards the door. "I am all for you going. This is something you need to do, now that the war is finally over."

"You're really okay—?"

"Time to go!" Ty Lee exclaimed from the other side of the door.

Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Suki all climbed off of Appa's back and onto the ground, then walked into the Jasmine Dragon.

"Uncle," Zuko called, waving at Iroh, who was calmly brewing a pot of jasmine tea. The fire burning in the fireplace reminded Zuko of the nightmare, of why he'd come to speak to his uncle in the first place. Zuko cringed at the sight of the flames and the light they made, which danced on the walls opposite the fireplace. Iroh noticed his nephew's discomfort at once and quickly poured the tea.

"You all came at the perfect time."

"Anything new on the menu?" Sokka asked, watching a plate of fish with noodles pass by on a waitress's platter.

"You're drooling," Katara rolled her eyes as Suki walked the entranced Sokka to their usual table, followed by Toph, Aang, Ty Lee, and Mai. Katara paused, seeing the serious expression on Iroh's face, but turned and went to sit at the table to give the two men some privacy.

"I visited my father."

"About Ursa," Iroh guessed, and Zuko nodded. "Where is she?"

"He doesn't know." Iroh snorted. "Jet is still alive, though, and he stole something of hers. If I get the thing he stole and bring it to June, she can help me find my mother."

"How will you find Jet?"

"Azula put Jet away in a prison here in the Earth Kingdom somewhere during the war."

Iroh frowned. "He could be anywhere, now that the war's over…"

"My father seems to think that Jet is still there. I have to try to find him. The Earth Kingdom is crawling with those Freedom Fighters—they probably know where he is. I'll find them, and they'll take me to him, and then I'll be able to continue my quest." Zuko paused, spotting a man with a crimson cloak, identical to his own. The memories of that nightmare flooded back into his mind—what had it meant? Was this the man who had been sitting near the fire?

"Something else is bothering you," Iroh noted.

"Do you know that man?" Zuko gestured to the cloaked man, who had taken a seat near the table where his friends were seated.

"No. I haven't seen him here before."

Zuko narrowed his eyes at the cloaked man, who turned and glared at Zuko. The man has straggly gray hairs, barely visible under the hood of his cloak. Zuko noticed the man's wealth of wrinkles, and tried to remember anything distinguishable about the figure in his nightmare, other than the crimson cloak. Then, Zuko heard him order some tea from a waiter, and somehow, he knew that the voice was different from the voice in his nightmare—

So who was the hooded figure from the nightmare?

"I—" Zuko paused and scratched his head.

"What is troubling you?"

"A nightmare I had… do you think I should, I don't know, look into it? What should I do, Uncle?"

"You are your own man, Zuko. You can make your own decisions. You don't need my guidance anymore."

Suddenly, Iroh spotted someone behind Zuko, and gave his nephew a slight nudge and a wink. "Remember that pretty girl who you went on a date with?"

"Excuse me—" someone's sweet voice rang in Zuko's ears as a finger poked his shoulder. He spun around to see Jin, who must have just walked into the tea shop.

"Zuko," Jin smiled warmly. "It's so good to see you again."

"Jin," Zuko whispered, recalling that night she'd come to the Fire Nation, only a week before, not long after he'd met with his father in the prison cell. "I…"

She raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to say anything," she sighed. "I understand what you have with… her," she gave Mai a sideways glance.

"You should've stayed in the Fire Nation longer. We could've… talked more," Zuko ventured, biting his lip—what was he thinking? Mai was in the room—and if she found out about that kiss, she'd never forgive him. It's not like she trusted him anyway, if the whole deal with Ty Lee was any indication.

"We're talking now," Jin offered.

"Yeah," Zuko breathed, feeling a strange wave of anxiety pass over him.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Jin brightened up. "I'm seeing someone."

"Oh, yeah?"

"He's great. He reminds me of you…" she laughed reminiscently.

"Maybe I could meet him," Zuko shrugged, suddenly feeling a presence behind him.

"I don't mean to break this up, but—you have got to try this soup your uncle made!" Sokka exclaimed as he chewed a mouthful of clam. "Oh, who's _this_?" Sokka raised his eyebrows. Zuko saw Mai and Ty Lee both looking over at the three of them and he frowned.

"An old friend," Zuko explained, eyeing Jin, who shook Sokka's hand and beamed at him.

"It's nice to meet you. I don't know if I've ever met any of Zuko's friends."

"Well, then let me introduce you," Sokka offered, putting his arm around her. Suki's evil-eye darted their way, but Jin seemed unfazed, and Sokka didn't seem to notice. "Well, I'm Sokka, and that's Suki, Katara, Aang, Toph, Ty Lee, and Mai—"

"Zuko's girlfriend," Mai cut him off. "How do you two know each other?"

Jin took a seat beside Sokka's and smiled, despite Mai's condescending scowl. "Well—"

"We met when Uncle and I first opened up the Jasmine Dragon," Zuko interrupted, hoping Jin wouldn't mention their date.

"Yes," Jin nodded, seeming to read Zuko's mind. "You know, I really should be going. I promised my parents that I would go buy us something to make for dinner." Jin stood up to go, and Zuko followed her to the door.

"We should hang out," he told her. "Really."

"Is that such a good idea?" Jin laughed uncomfortably. "Your girlfriend doesn't seem to like me very much."

"She's like that with everyone," Zuko shrugged, and they both laughed.

"I've missed your sense of humor," she smiled.

"I'm planning on staying in town for a little while."

"Are you?"

He nodded. "I have some business to take care of."

"Ah, some high-and-mighty Firelord duties, I presume?"

"Something like that."

"And will Mai be with you?"

"No. It's… she can't."

"Can't?" Jin frowned. "Or won't?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I guess I just never understood why you would like someone like her."

Zuko sighed. "It's hard to explain."

"It's not that I'm not happy for you," Jin quickly added. "I just… I want you to be happy."

"Thanks," Zuko grinned as she squeezed his hand.

"I'll be here tomorrow morning then," she promised, kissing his cheek lightly before walking out the door. Zuko spun around to a glowering Mai and a confused, but pleased, Iroh.

Mai stomped over to him and pointed a finger at his chest.

"Who _was_ that?" she practically shrieked.

"At least now I can get an ounce of emotion out of you."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean? And who was that little—"

"Don't," he held up a hand. "I went on a date with her once, a long time ago."

"I swear, Zuko, if it was while we were dating—"

"It wasn't," he shook his head. "I don't want to talk about this right now. I have some things to take care of." He started towards the door, but Katara rushed towards him and grabbed his arm.

"Do you need help?"

Zuko's brow furrowed. "You told them?" he demanded, glaring at Mai.

"It's a good thing she did. How could you possibly think it would be a good idea to do this alone?"

"Yeah, Zuko. You went on adventures with all of us—" Sokka started, but Toph cut him off.

"Not _all_ of us."

"Adventures?" Ty Lee chirped.

Zuko frowned at all of them, then turned to Katara. "Thank you, but I'll be fine."

"Are you sure, Zuko?" Aang asked quietly. Zuko eyed Mai, but she turned away stiffly.

"I am. I'll see you all soon."

Everyone but Mai nodded, and Zuko hugged each one of them—though Ty Lee seemed to hold on for a little bit too long—and then Iroh approached him.

"Some oolong tea leaves for your long journey," he said, handing him the leaves. "Your destiny is to find her, and bring her home, Zuko. Be safe on the long road ahead; you never know what lies in your path, but always know that when you reach the path's end, you will be home again."

"Thank you, Uncle." Zuko nodded, and they hugged one another for a long time before Zuko turned and began his journey.


	3. Resentment

Resentment

_Jet moved swiftly down the path in the forest, not sure of where he was going or where he'd come from. He squinted towards the path's end, but the weakness of the moonlight prevented any attempts to make out the definite features of the forest. Jet knew this land, though. It felt familiar beneath his feet, as if he'd traveled it many times before. _

_His reminiscence broke, then, for the stench of ash overwhelmed his senses. Firebenders. _

_Had they found him? Some rebel force, sent by the Firelord himself, must have been after him. Jet's jaw tightened at the thought, and he grabbed for his swords—_

_No. _No_. They must have gotten to him already, poisoned him just enough to erase his memory and steal his swords before letting him escape into the night. _

_Finally, only about ten feet stood between Jet and the flames. He saw no firebenders, only a single figure, sitting in front of a small fire. The figure reached out towards it, towards the comfort and warmth so many thought it could provide. _

_How ignorant they were. Jet shook his head, and began to approach the figure, then stopped dead in his tracks. The harsh radiance of the flames illuminated the figure, but all Jet could discern was its thin, crimson cloak. _

_As he stared at the flames, visions of his parents' death rose to the surface in his mind: their dark eyes reflecting that most destructive force of nature, that element that killed mercilessly; their bodies, lying on the ground as they struggled to breathe despite the smoke that coated their lungs. _

_And then that fateful burst came forth from Colonel Mongke's hands, engulfing Jet's parents in the deepest, most hellish blaze he'd ever seen. _

_An indistinct cackle erupted from the throat of the cloaked figure, as if it had read Jet's thoughts; as if it had experienced the memory; as if it had felt the intense heat come from the conflagration that turned his entire village into mere ashes. _

_Pent-up rage took hold of him, and he rushed towards the figure, but almost immediately, a twig pierced through the flesh on the bottom of his left foot. _

_The wound bled, but nothing deterred Jet when he came into contact with one of these fiends. He continued towards the figure, and it doused the fire quickly, then came to meet him. _

"_Who are you?" Jet demanded. "I'll end you right now, you—"_

"_You are truly a fool," the figure spat as it shoved Jet to the ground. Jet gripped at the dirt beneath his hands, struggling to find anything he could use as a weapon. _

"_Don't even think about it."_

_Jet winced as a sharp blade cut through his thigh. The figure removed the blade quickly and a deep snarl broke from its mouth. The voice was unrecognizable, and the darkness masked the identity of his attacker. _

_The sole fact that Jet knew was that this person, however powerful they may be, was using his own twin swords to torture him. _

* * *

><p>"This shield belonged to Avatar Kyoshi! It is one of a kind! I assure you, you won't find a better price—"<p>

But before the vendor could finish, Zuko swatted the shield out of his face and walked on. The aroma of steaming cabbages percolated through the thick, humid air, and Zuko cocked his head to the side at the cart of cabbages right before a wheelbarrow full of hay crushed the entire cart. Pieces of cracked wood and large cabbages rebounded off the houses that lined the streets of Ba Sing Se, and Zuko ran ahead to get out of the way of the debris.

He scanned the streets, and saw The Jasmine Dragon in the distance. Thoughts of his last moments with Mai danced through his mind, but he couldn't go back there. Soon enough, he'd embark on the most important journey of his life, and if Mai wanted to hold him back from the happiness that that trip would bring, he couldn't see her again.

"Come on. If you want to see her before we go hunting, you've got to go now," a familiar, scratchy female voice muttered to his right. He turned and saw a large fountain—one surrounded by tall, beautiful lights. The exact spot that he and Jin had first kissed.

And there, with his head submerged in the fountain's shallow water, was the man he'd been looking for. Smellerbee and Longshot stood near him, fully donned in their Freedom Fighter gear. Sighing heavily, he approached them, searching their expressions. An exchanged glance and slight nod from Longshot told Smellerbee to back up.

Zuko gripped the long brown hairs in his fingers and yanked the head out of the water aggressively.

Droplets fell off of the tanned face, and the dark eyes blinked a few times until they recognized his face. They widened for a moment and then narrowed, and suddenly a fist smacked Zuko's cheek, causing the Firelord to stagger backward onto the ground.

The sound of twin blades scraping against each other filled him with a newfound energy. Zuko leaped from off the ground and removed his own swords from their sheath.

"I heard what you did with Azula at the Earth King's palace," Jet muttered. "You're a monster."

"I thought that I had to—I wanted to regain my honor. I wanted to… be respected."

Jet chuckled. "You're Fire Nation. You have no honor, and you never will."

"My uncle has taught me a lot… and I know that I need to make all of my wrongs right. I shouldn't have lied to you, and I'm sorry."

Jet blinked at Zuko, then turned to Smellerbee and Longshot. "See? This is what they do. They try to make you trust them. It's just like before the war. These people will _never_ change."

"Jet, I—" Jet turned slightly.

"I _trusted_ you," he shook his head, not looking Zuko in the eye. "But you're Fire Nation."

"All I want is your forgiveness."

Jet searched the Firelord's face for a few moments, but rolled his eyes. "You think that I'm going to _believe_ you, after all you've done? I don't _care_ that you say you've changed, and that you want me to forgive you. I will _never_ forgive you, and I'll definitely never have any respect for people like you, no matter how good you claim to have become! In fact, I'd like to see you _try_ to earn my respect," he challenged, readying himself with his swords.

"I don't want to fight," Zuko said calmly, lowering his swords to his sides. "I'm the Firelord now, and peace has finally been restored in the four nations. There's not going to be any fighting under my reign. I made that promise the day I decided to become Firelord."

Jet's eyes widened, and for a moment he looked deranged. He swiped at Zuko's feet, but Zuko sidestepped.

"What do you _really_ want?" Jet mocked. "To make your daddy proud? To show up your sister? You're _nothing_. You think they're great? You're all the same. But today, I swear that I will end the lies and betrayal of your family once and for all. We're the Freedom Fighters, and we'll never stop fighting people like you."

Smellerbee shook her head. "Jet, we're not—"

"I'm not trying to make them proud or show them up. I hate them," Zuko explained. Jet went for Zuko's throat, but Zuko moved out of the way again.

"You don't think I've known people like you? You all think that your nation is the best, and that you have to take all of our lives to prove it! Your dad ruined people's lives! Because of him, I don't even have any family. He killed them. And you have had everything given to you on a silver platter. He took away my _parents_!"

Zuko's eyes flared and he gripped his swords tighter, lifting them up. He and Jet circled each other as their swords met in the air, sliding against one another. "The Fire Nation took my mother, too."

"You're insane! You think I believe that?"

Tears fell from Zuko's eyes. He swung at Jet's head but missed.

"Stop putting on an act. I know what you people are like."

"Do you? I know you've suffered, but I have, too. I know I'm a monster. I know it better than you do. And that's why I need you to forgive me."

"Come on. What do you _really_ want?"

Zuko dropped his swords. "I want to find my mother."

"Then why come to me? Why come to the one person who will probably just end your journey right here?"

"You're supposed to help me."

"Help you?" Jet shrieked, his fury peaking. He crossed his swords so that they met inches from Zuko's neck.

"So you two have met," Jin's voice came from behind Zuko. She walked around to stand beside Jet. As she whispered into his ear and touched his shoulder gently, he calmed down and lowered his swords. Jin's penetrating dark eyes scrutinized Zuko and she gave him a small smile.

"I missed you at the Jasmine Dragon this morning," she told Zuko. "I was hoping to introduce you to my boyfriend…" Her voice trailed off as Jet put a protective arm around her waist.

"_Jet_? You're dating _Jet_?"

"She nursed me back to health," Jet said nonchalantly as Zuko stiffened at the thought of Jin falling for this… this _child_. Jet's help was the only thing that could reunite Zuko with his mother, but that didn't change the fact that Jet would never be able to move on from his childish hatred for the Fire Nation and become a real man.

"We all thought you were dead," Zuko muttered, lifting his swords from the ground and putting them back in his sheath. When he looked back up, Jin's eyes were filled with tears.

"Nearly," she managed to choke. "He almost died… but he'll always fight."

Zuko shook his head; he'd never seen the ever-peaceful girl so upset about something.

Jet glared at him. "She's right. I'll never stop fighting for my life—because it's all I have left! I don't have any family left to fight for, but I'll fight to keep their memory alive. I'll fight to make the _monsters_ that killed my family pay!"

"Jet," Jin warned, squeezing his hand. "Please."

"No," he growled, ripping his hand from her grasp and grabbing Zuko by his cape to bring him to his face. "I'm going to make this monster pay for what his father did to my parents!"

"My mother was just as much of a victim to that war as your parents were, Jet," Zuko wept. "But now I have the chance to find her, and you have the chance to move on."

"_Move on?_" Jet screamed. "I have no intention of moving on. I'm on a mission."

Longshot gave Jet a serious look, and Jet backed up slightly. The two of them began to speak in hushed tones, and Jin approached Zuko, putting her hand on the left side of his face. Her touch on his scar soothed him, at least for a moment. They'd always have that day she came to the Fire Nation to visit him… but her touch reminded him that she was no longer his, and that he wasn't hers. She was so close to him… but they were worlds apart.

"He'll help you find her," she whispered. "And so will I."

Zuko felt hot tears come in the corner of his eyes. "It might not be safe."

"I'm not asking you if I can come."

"No?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I…" Jet started, approaching Zuko carefully. "I won't say that I trust you. I've never trusted anyone that's Fire Nation, and I made a vow that I never will. But as Longshot reminded me, I can't exactly exact my revenge on the Firelord, especially in public like this."

"Revenge?" Jin inquired, her voice biting. "Whatever you think he did, he didn't do it. I know Zuko, in ways you can't even understand. He's not the person you think he was… he used to be that person, but deep down, he's always been the great guy he is now. So give this a chance. Help him."

"_Help_ him? _Help_ the guy whose father is responsible for the death of my only family? I don't know what he told you, but you can't fall into the trap of believing some—"

"Shut up," Jin shook her head. "You don't know the first thing about him, do you?"

"And you do? What did he _do_ to you? Did he hurt you? Did he threaten you?"

"He—we—look, Jet. He didn't hurt me, or threaten me, or anything like that. He's never been anything but nice to me."

"That's what they want you to think—that they're nice, and good, and that they won't ever hurt you—and then they turn on you, and you get burned. You can't let yourself trust these people!"

"We've all done things we're not proud of," Longshot said suddenly. "But redemption cleanses us of our transgressions."

"You think that _I_ need redemption? Whose side are you on, Longshot? If anyone needs redemption—"

"I have been seeking redemption ever since I realized that what I did here in Ba Sing Se was wrong. I don't claim to be perfect now," Zuko sighed. "My uncle has taught me a lot, and I know that redemption and forgiveness go hand in hand. I can only fully redeem myself once you and I forgive one another."

"You want that? Don't act like you like me, Zuko. I think our hatred for each other is pretty clear. Come on, Jin, Longshot, Smellerbee. Let's get out of here. I'll fight you another day, your _Majesty_," Jet snarled mockingly, spinning on his heels to leave. After a few moments of walking, he turned back around to see that none of them had moved.

"We're not going anywhere, Jet," Smellerbee spoke up. "You need to accept the fact that Zuko is good now."

"We need to help him find his mother," Jin added.

"Fine. You can all go do that—it's stupid, and you'll probably get yourselves killed doing it, but go ahead! If you fall for the lies of this Fire Nation scumbag, then you don't deserve to be a part of my life. You don't even deserve to be Freedom Fighters!" Then his eyes met Jin's, and he frowned deeply and turned away. The rest of them stood there for a few seconds, listening as Jet's footsteps disappeared into the noises of the crowd.


	4. Compromise

Chapter 4

Compromise

"Are you feeling okay?" a kind female voice awakened Zuko from a deep sleep. A huge sigh of relief escaped his mouth as he realized that he didn't have the nightmare again.

"Fine," he grumbled, sitting up and rubbing his eyes, only to see Jin standing in front of him, smiling. "What's going on?"

"Jet wants to make a deal with you."

Raindrops make a pitter-patter noise on the deck outside, and Zuko stood, and walked over to the window.

"It'll be hard to leave home," Jin murmured. "But I have everything ready for our journey."

Zuko spun back around to her, and she was standing right behind him. "Oh," he muttered, stepping backwards. Her smile widened, and she bit her lip slightly. "Uh, are you sure you want to come? I'm not exactly sure what we're up against here—"

"You're nervous," she noted. "I know you and Jet have a bad past, but he's changed, just like you have."

"Let's say that's true—he still feels the same about the Fire Nation."

"Wouldn't you, if something so terrible happened to you?"

"It did."

Jin took a deep breath, stuffing Zuko's blanket into a sack. "Please, just cut him some slack. At least your mother is still out there somewhere." She handed the sack to Zuko, who set it down. At his feet was the crimson cloak. He shuddered at the thought of the figure from his nightmare. Was someone after him?

Was Azula still haunting him, somehow?

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"It's… nothing."

"I don't believe that," she frowned. "Not for a second." The beating of Zuko's heart in his chest overwhelmed him. Some strange, familiar feeling was taking hold of him—and before he knew it, he and Jin were only an inch apart. His fingers ran through her hair. Her sickeningly sweet scent excited his senses, and he put his arms around her waist. Jin shook her head slightly, and Zuko hated that she was right. This… the two of them, together… was wrong. He started to pull away, but she gripped his wrist.

"Don't," she whispered, but suddenly the door swung open. Both of them stepped back a few feet. Smellerbee's dark eyes pierced through Zuko's soul, and immediately, shame set in.

Smellerbee pursed her lips, then sighed deeply. "I won't tell."

"Thank you," Jin choked through her tears. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, not to anyone in particular, and grabbed her own sack and went outside into the pouring rain.

Smellerbee glared at Zuko as she approached him. "You shouldn't have done that."

"I…"

"If you want Jet to forgive you, you need to make the effort, too."

"What's this deal he wants to make with me?"

"I don't know. But it probably doesn't involve stealing his girlfriend." She then shoved Zuko towards the doorway, and they grabbed their sacks and made it outside. Raindrops fell like heavy bullets onto Zuko's back, completely drenching his cloak. Jet leaned against the side of a house across the street, with his own sack across his chest and a long piece of wheat straw between his teeth.

"Let's get this straight," he snapped. "I still have no intention of forgiving you. But as much as I hate you, I hate your sister even more. Before you two overthrew the Earth King and took over Ba Sing Se, she set up a secret, underground prison for people like me. She had these guys capture me, and take me there."

"The Dai Li?"

Jet shook his head. "They were a bunch of traitors of the Earth Kingdom—a band of rebels that helped Azula with the overthrow of Ba Sing Se by capturing people like me. They were ex-Dai Li, who served under the Earth King for a long time, working as double agents. They've always been loyal to Ozai, and they're more dangerous than you can imagine."

"Maybe I should get my friends to join us."

Jet's features contorted into something between a smirk and a frown. "No. We need to be as stealthy as possible, which means there can't be too many of us."

"We could use one more," Zuko insisted.

"Who?"

"You have something, Jet. Something of my mother's, from our house at Ember Island."

Jet's eyes widened. "How did you know that?"

"My father told me that Azula found out about it."

"So you're still buddy-buddy with the rest of your family? I knew it. I knew I couldn't trust you." Zuko felt the guilt take hold of his heart, because of course, Jet was right. Not in the way he thought, but it didn't matter. Either way, what Zuko and Jin did, however small it was, was wrong. He took a deep breath.

"Azula is dead." Jet's jaw dropped.

"You killed her?"

"No… I almost died saving Katara from her, and then Katara saved me. But the point is, we left Azula to rot, and that she did. She went completely crazy… and my father is in a prison in the Fire Nation, entirely powerless."

"So it's all true. I'm almost impressed that you and your team could do all that."

"I guess you don't always have to be willing to kill the innocent to end a war."

Jet rolled his eyes. "I'm past that, now."

"What did you steal from my mother?"

"A piece of fabric… I was going to sell it, and some other old trinkets from your house on Ember Island, but when I returned to Ba Sing Se, I was arrested by the underground traitors that worked for Azula. They took the fabric, and some of the other items I was going to sell, along with my dignity… So here is my proposition: you help me get back at them, and I'll help you find your mother."

"How can I be sure you won't turn on me once I help you fight them?"

"Unlike you, I have honor. I always keep my word," he held out a hand, and Zuko shook it reluctantly. "Now, who else do you think we need?"

"June. She has a Shirshu. It tracks—"

"I know what it does."

"We can let it smell the fabric, and then it can find my mother for us. Plus, June's a pretty strong warrior herself."

"We only need her after we get the fabric, then."

"We should find her sooner than later."

"Where is she?"

"A bar, somewhere. It shouldn't be too hard to find her."

"Then I guess we shouldn't waste any more time talking about it," Jet shrugged, starting to walk off. Everyone followed, and Zuko fell into step with Smellerbee.

"Does he even know where he's going?"

Smellerbee's penetrating eyes told him not to question it. Eventually, they reached a bar near the marketplace called The Lonely Cabbage. Piles of trash, along with groups of hung-over teenagers, who were probably only a little older than Zuko himself, stood outside the entrance. The strange odors emanating from the door of the bar, mixed with the mud created by the rain, caused Zuko to wrinkle his nose. Some of the teenagers spat at his feet, and he recoiled, bumping into Jin. Jet snorted, unable to mask his disgust at what he took to be Zuko's obvious ignorance of the lower classes of the Earth Kingdom, and yanked Jin back to his side as they all stepped through the door.

Immediately, a gasp erupted from Jet's throat, and his entire body froze as he stared at a man in the back corner, who wore a crimson cloak.

Just like the man in Zuko's nightmare.

Zuko edged toward Jet and whispered, "Do you know that man?" Jet's eyes remained glued to every moment of the man as he shook his head slowly, carefully, as if the man were his prey.

"Then why—" Zuko began, but Jet pushed him out of the way and kept his hand near his swords as he approached the man.

The man stared straight forward, ignoring Jet completely as he moved his drink back and forth in front of him on the table. His impatience mounting, Jet produced a dagger that Zuko didn't even know about and drove it into the table, a mere inch from the man's hand.

Jet proceeded to take a seat, and the two men spoke to each other in hushed tones. Zuko struggled to overhear, only catching bits and pieces of their conversation. Something was too soon, and nearly impossible. But what?

And was this the man that had haunted Zuko's nightmare? If he was, and Jet _knew_ him… A shudder ran down Zuko's spine. _The whole thing could be a trap_, he thought. Zuko could hold his ground in a fight, without a doubt. Firebending and dual swordsmanship were on his side. After all, even if fighting them set him back, the determination to find his mother would keep him going.

Longshot took Smellerbee aside to discuss something, and Zuko moved towards Jin. Would she let this happen? Would she allow him to get this far—this close to finding his mother—just to let Jet take it all away by betraying him? Zuko closed his eyes tightly. _Betrayal_. He'd betrayed Jet, when he lied about being Fire Nation, and when he and Jin had that moment back in the tent, however innocent. He'd betrayed his own uncle. He'd betrayed almost everyone he'd ever known.

Did turning to the good side and helping Aang restore peace and balance in the Four Nations really give him redemption for all those transgressions? Deep in his heart, Zuko knew that he was a good man, that he'd even found honor. But was his soul pure? How could it be, after all he'd done?

Jin noticed Zuko's distress, and sidled up alongside him, giving him a sideways glance. Feeling the warmth of her body next to his, he opened his eyes but watched as Jet and the man continued to speak. "What's on your mind?" she asked sweetly. Though her words were meant to comfort him, they put him even more ill at ease.

"Nothing," he shook his head, lowering his gaze to his hands, marred by scratches, signs of past losses, past victories. Marks of his time on both sides.

"Nothing?" she repeated with a slight chuckle. "We both know that's a lie." Her words hit him like a ton of bricks. They were the exact words Mai said to him when he was at the Boiling Rock, after he'd abandoned her to join Aang. He swallowed.

"Fine. You're right. It's a lie," he growled, taking a seat at the bar next to a grimy old lady who was downing shots like there was no tomorrow. After moving one seat down, he ordered a cup of chamomile tea to calm his nerves.

Jin sat beside him, ordered a cup for herself, and put a hand over his. "You don't have to lie to me."

Steaming mugs of tea quickly appeared before them, and Jin grabbed some cinnamon from her sack to sprinkle on top of the tea, then paused a moment before doing the same for his. He gave her a questioning look and she smiled. "Trust me. You'll love it."

It tasted like spring, like home. The tea burnt his tongue, but Zuko couldn't have cared less. It only made him think of his mother. She was out there, somewhere. Waiting for him. Waiting to reunite with her only son.

Jet's voice rose from the corner of the room, and Zuko snapped to attention, thinking once again of that haunting dream.

"Do you know who that man is?"

Jin looked over her shoulder at Jet and the cloaked man, and shrugged, stirring her tea. "I don't know a lot of Jet's friends."

"Friends," Zuko chuckled, looking at the dagger, which was still in the table. Jin rolled her eyes.

"He's not usually like this," she explained.

"You don't have to defend him. I know Jet. I know what he's like."

"That's the thing. He's never like this when we're alone together."

"Well, maybe you're finally finding out who he really is," Zuko ventured, and Jin raised an eyebrow at him. A wave of anger passed over her kind features, but she shook it off.

"He's not," she rejoined, struggling to keep her voice steady. "But ever since you came around, he's been… he's been…"

"Who he really is?" Zuko cut her off angrily. "You're going to have to accept the fact that Jet will _never_ change. He'll always hate the Fire Nation. He'll always hate me."

"At least he has a reason to hate them! I know you're different now, Zuko, but Jet's going to take a lot of convincing."

"I hadn't noticed."

Jin rolled her eyes. "I hate how you're acting, too. You two are never like this when I'm alone with either of you. You're acting like children."

"Well, at least I have the dignity to date someone who actually cares about me!"

"_Mai_?" Jin's eyebrows furrowed. "Since when did Mai do anything selfless for you?"

"Since when did Jet do anything selfless for _you_?"

"What is your _problem_?" she demanded. "You have got to stop acting like this."

"I do? You know what he's like."

"He's never like this, and neither are you, unless you're together. So get your act together, or we're not going to be able to do this."

"Fine."

"No," she frowned. "Zuko, you have to promise me, that you'll start acting like the guy I know you really are. I know that you and Jet… don't bring out the best in each other, but you have to promise you'll do everything you can to make this work."

"Okay. I promise." He searched her face, and she gave him a small smile. "Does that mean…" his voice trailed off.

"That we can't—" she closed her eyes. "You know how I feel about him," she said painfully, and her eyes met the beautiful, twin, golden pools, the left of which was surrounded by his scar. She placed a hand on it and took a heavy sigh.

"I don't," he retorted, holding her wrist as she gently stroked his scarred face. "I don't understand it at all, actually."

"And I don't understand you and Mai."

Zuko's grip on her hand weakened, and then he pushed it away, eyeing her intensely. "But… we can't. It's wrong."

Jin nodded halfheartedly and walked toward the table where Jet and the man were speaking, not daring to look back, because she knew that if she did, she would never let herself go forward again.


End file.
